The Nepal Weekly 
March 28, 2023
The Central Department of Environmental Science (CDES) of the Tribhuvan University (TU)had informed that it is going to host the first global conference on environment and sustainability next year.
Head of the CDES Prof Dr Chhatra Sharma, in press meet organised Sunday, said that the CDES had decided to organise the conference so as to discuss environmental challenges being faced by developing countries. He said the conference will take place in Kathmandu during June 9-11, 2024.
Former head of the CDES and coordinator of the conference, Prof Dr Kedar Rijal, said that they expect around 500 participants including 300 academicians and practitioners from over 20 countries. ”This will not only academic conference, it will also provide policy feedback to the government of Nepal after the conference,” he added.
Co-chair of the conference organizing committee, Prof Mohan Dangi, who teaches at the Fresno State University, California, USA, said that the conference will deliberate on three thematic areas including air pollution and climate change, solid waste management and Sustainable Development. He also thanked the government of Nepal for assuring its full support to the conference.
On the occasion Prof Ram P Chaudhary said that the conference should discuss on integrating indigenous local knowledge. “Chure region covers only 17 percent of the land mass but holds 51 percent of the population. Conserving Chure region is crucial for the livelihoods of local communities,” he stressed.
A Nepali Congress lawmaker, Sanjay Gautam, said that there was a need to bring issues like combating climate change and protecting environment on top of political agenda. “We also need cross-border cooperation to protect Chure region as degradation of Chure could have detrimental impact to both Nepal and India.”
Dr Mark Maskel, Prof of University of California Davissaid that there was nothing more important issue than environment and sustainability. “Our fate is linked with our environment. We must sensitize local communities as well as policymakers to protect environment,” he mentioned.
Former Vice Chancellor of the TU, Prof Dr Tirtha Khaniya, former head of the CDES and co-chair of the organizing committee, Prof Dr Rejina Maskey, Rector of TU, Prof Shiba Lal Bhusal, and other speakers said the conference would help bring Nepal’s environmental challenges to the rest of the world. They expressed their full support to the conference.
